Mini bus hits tractor-trolley, one dead:Villagers set bus on fire, block roads in Ujjain; police from 3 stations restore order

A mini bus collided with a tractor on Garoth Road in Ujjain on Friday night, leaving one youth dead and four people injured. One of the injured is in a critical condition. Angry over the youth’s death, villagers first pelted stones at the bus and then set it on fire. They blocked the highway and raised slogans against the toll management. Police reached the spot after receiving information and cleared the blockade after persuading the protesters. According to police, the mini bus (DL01 VC 5919) was coming from Delhi to Ujjain carrying devotees for Mahakal darshan. Near Tulaheda toll plaza, it rammed into a tractor-trolley from behind. The tractor fell into a ditch and overturned. Youth trapped under tractor Vijay Solanki (21), who was travelling on the tractor, got trapped underneath it. He remained stuck for about an hour. Due to the delay in getting timely help, he died. In the accident, tractor occupants Rajesh Sharma, bus driver Shivkumar from Amritsar, and passengers Bobby and Dharmendra Kumar from Delhi were injured. All were taken to Ujjain District Hospital. Two passengers were later shifted to a private hospital ICU as their condition was serious. See, four pictures Allegations of negligence in toll management Protesters said the tractor-trolley was carrying wheat to the Ujjain grain market. After the accident, a crane was called from the toll plaza to pull out the tractor, but it arrived about an hour late. It also lacked essential equipment, including lifting belts, needed to recover the tractor. This further angered the villagers. They vandalised the bus and set it on fire. The belongings of the devotees kept inside the bus were completely burnt. However, all passengers had already been safely evacuated and were sent to Ujjain in other vehicles. Police from three stations reached the spot On receiving information about the unrest, police teams from three stations reached the spot. Raghvi SHO Kajal Singh, Ghattiya SHO Karan Khowal, and Panbihar outpost in-charge Jayant Damor arrived with heavy police force. They assured the villagers of a fair investigation and action against the toll management, after which the road blockade was lifted.